1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to padding presses which are designed to align, press and glue a plurality of sheets of paper interspersed with cardboard sheets to form, when glued, pads of paper.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art discloses numerous padding presses and paper balers, said paper balers being quite similar in some functions to padding presses. Of all the prior patent devices, only one is similar to the improved padding press disclosed herein.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,499,744, Goines, discloses a padding press having a removable alignment rack. In this unit, an alignment rack is placed on a base; pressure is applied to the padded paper in the rack; a pressure plate is secured to maintain pressure; the alignment rack is removed from the press; and the pads are glued. When the glue dries, the pads are removed; the alignment rack is replaced in the press; and the process is repeated. The removable alignment rack which serves to align the paper and has draw-bars held by thumb nuts for applying pressure to the paper, must be removed in its entirety to glue the pads. Thus, only the base is left free for use with another batch of pads and the rest of the mechanism must be duplicated to provide a continuous padding process. Hence, this patent, while teaching the simplest and most economical prior art, tends to confuse the basic elements of alignment, pressing, gluing and drying, thus confusing the basic structure of a padding press with the auxiliary functions thereof. This results in a very inefficient use of the basic press and an increased production of cost for the products of this padding press.
The present invention represents a distinct improvement over prior art U.S. Pat. No. 2,499,744 in that it distinctly performs alignment and pressing in the basic unit and provides a plurality of insertable racks which serve the functions of gluing and drying. It provides an insertable padding rack which permits utilization of the basic press continuously while previously pressed pads are glued and dried.